Mumbai: The next time you are stuck in a 26/7 like deluge and your stomach growls, don't worry. The nearest restaurant will rescue you from your miserable hunger pangs by providing food packets.
The last time, Meenakshi Sachdev, a resident of Thane, was stuck in Kurla for 18 hours after Mumbai was brought to a complete standstill, while the city received an unprecedented 944 mm of rain within 24 hours. (
File Pic: Several people were stranded and left without food and water during the deluge on July 26, 2005.)
Sachdev was sitting atop a roof of a bus without food and water. In order to avoid such situations in the future, the new collector C V Oak has thought of a novel idea - restaurants providing food packets to people stuck in a deluge.
An enthused Oak, who was appointed as collector just a week ago, asked for a meeting with various restaurants and NGOs to request them to provide food packets. He also asked other governmental organisations including the BEST, BMC, MHADA, Traffic Police and Emergency Services to know of their monsoon preparations.
Confirming the news, Oak said, "We have asked restaurants, gymkhanas and NGOs for their support, which they have agreed to. If the flooding takes place, the nearest restaurant will be helping us with the food packets."
"During the deluge, which occurred on July 26, 2005, several people were stranded and left without any food and water. That's why I came up with this idea," added Oak.
Narayan Alva, president of Association of Hotel & Restaurant owners (AHAR), said, "We will definitely help the government during the time of crisis. We can't say how many food packets we can arrange, but if any area is flooded and our members have outlets, we will definitely help them with food."